1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to apparatus and systems for ventilating grease laden air having moisture, smoke, fumes, grease vapors and the like supported therein from environments such as cooking and kitchen areas.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The present invention constitutes an improvement over the ventilating systems taught and disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,786,739 and 3,848,521, both invented by John David Wright and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. In these Wright patents, ventilating systems are suspended from a ceiling or attached to a wall, or supported from a floor structure, for the purpose of ventilating cooking areas in kitchens and particularly in restaurants and institutional food establishments. The purpose of both these patents is to remove grease type materials entrained in the exhaust air above the cooking apparatus present in such establishments. This grease laden air presents both a sanitary and fire problem and should and must be removed from the air in order to effectively inprove the sanitation and eliminate the fire problem. Both of these Wright patents are hereby incorporated by reference. The improvement of the present invention likewise is directed to removal of grease type particles from above cooking ranges and the like.
A common problem with known ventilating systems, including the ones above is that the washing and cleaning action from the spray nozzles fails to completely remove and entrain the particles contained within the air passing through the system as is desired.
Another problem with known prior art devices is that an accumulation of grease and other solidified particles coats the walls and baffle plates of the apparatus and after a sufficient amount of such particles have collected this in itself becomes a health and fire hazard.
Another problem with known devices is that the sump associated with the collection chambers fails to discharge the collected grease and other solidified particles in a positive and sure manner.
Another problem with known devices having water nozzles for wetting down and cleaning the air and baffle surfaces is that the nozzles themselves collect grease deposits and other solid deposits and become contaminated.
A further problem with known devices are that the interior baffles are fixed and unadjustable so that the balance of airflow through the unit, and especially in the case of multiple units stacked side by side, is fixed and non-adjustable. This results in the airflow depositing grease particles and solids in certain portions of the apparatus and not in others. This overall effect is undesirable.
Another problem with known devices is that the baffle system incorporated therewith are relatively complex and involve rather complex construction and repair procedures.
Known prior art patents which may be pertinent to this invention are as follows:
U.s. pat. No. 3,207,058 -- A. K. Gaylord -- Sept. 21, 1965 PA0 U.s pat. No. 3,247,776 -- A. K. Gaylord -- Apr. 26, 1966 PA0 U.s. pat. No. 3,323,439 -- B. D. Weaver et al. -- June 6, 1967 PA0 U.s. pat. No. 3,324,629 -- E. Graswich et al. -- June 13, 1967 PA0 U.s. pat. No. 3,490,206 -- DeWitt H. Doane -- Jan. 20, 1970 PA0 U.s. pat. No. 3,854,388 -- Donald E. King -- Dec. 17, 1974 PA0 U.s. pat. No. 3,893,831 -- DeWitt H. Doane -- July 8, 1975
None of these known prior art devices offers the new and unique features of the invention disclosed herein.